BC’s school trustees govern the public education system for over 550,000 students —mostly out of the spotlight. With elections on October 17, it’s time BC knows more about school trustees.
By Carolyn Broady, Past President, BC School Trustees Association, School Trustee, West Vancouver Schools
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Somewhere in your community, a small group of your neighbours are deciding whether your child’s school gets a new roof, a new program, or a new bus route. They’re weighing in on report card language, school safety plans, and how to close achievement gaps. They oversee tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in funds and decide how to allocate it to best support children in their communities. They’re school trustees, and with general local elections on October 17, 2026, it’s time British Columbians learned more about the role they play.
Few people can name who sits on their local school board, even though that board shapes their children’s day-to-day life. It’s an unusual kind of position: modestly compensated, largely invisible, and entirely local. Trustees don’t do it for recognition, they do it because they believe in an equitable, quality education system, and because they can see, meeting after meeting, how their decisions shape a child’s educational journey and ensure schools are safe and welcoming for all.
As locally elected representatives, trustees make sure the needs and priorities of students and families are heard at every level of the system and government. They sit at the table for decisions on staffing, capital planning, budgets, Indigenous, and special education, and student mental health — decisions that determine what a child’s experience in the BC public system will be like. Most importantly, their job, as outlined in the School Act, is to improve student outcomes.
That combination — high stakes, low visibility — is exactly why the British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) exists. BCSTA supports boards of education with governance training, legal counsel, policy research, advocacy, and a direct connection to the Ministry of Education and Child Care, so that local realities help shape provincial decisions. After every election, BCSTA also provides professional development to incoming trustees, turning newly elected community members into confident governors.
No one walks into this job already knowing how to read a multi-million-dollar budget or capital plan or how to navigate complicated educational decisions and running for school trustee can feel overwhelming. But you don’t need a background in education, policy or finance to do it — you need to care about your community’s students and be willing to learn. BCSTA and boards of education provide the support so trustees can focus on what matters most: making good decisions for kids. If you’ve ever wondered whether you could do more for kids in your community, October 17, 2026, is your chance to step up.
For everyone else, the ask is simple. All school district’s board meetings are open to the public, and most post their agendas and minutes online. Before you vote on October 17, take ten minutes to learn more about the candidates running in your local district. I’m often asked why vote for trustees if I don’t have children in the system. That answer is easy. A robust public education system benefits every citizen in British Columbia. These students are our future doctors, teachers, and electricians — the tradespeople and professionals who will build and care for our communities in the future.
On October 17, I encourage everyone to show up for the people who show up for your kids. Please take a few minutes to cast a ballot for your local school trustee.
To learn more about the role of a school trustee, how to run, or how to vote, visit bcsta.org/elections.
About BCSTA
The BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA) represents and supports boards of education across British Columbia, promoting good governance and advocating for public education on behalf of more than 400 trustees and over 550,000 students provincewide.
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Media Contact:
Monique Atwal
Manager of Communications
matwal@bcsta.org